1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of a microscope, and more particularly, to a technique for improving the operability of a microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microscopes, and optical examining apparatuses using a microscope are used for various purposes such as observation of cells, a body tissue, etc. in a medical/biological field, examinations of a semiconductor wafer, an FPD (Flat Panel Display) glass substrate, a magnetic head, and the like in industrial fields, research and development of a metal structure or a new material, or the like, and there are diverse apparatuses responding to user needs.
When a sample is observed with such a microscope, various types of units (such as various types of illuminations, an aperture stop, a field stop, a revolving nosepiece, an automatic focusing mechanism, a mechanism for switching an optical element such as a lens, a filter, etc.), which are included in a microscope, must be operated according to an observation condition.
When a desired microscopy is implemented, satisfactory observation using a microscope cannot be made unless various types of optical members are suitably combined. Diversified microscopies are sometimes used according to an observation target and its characteristic to be detected. Therefore, superior operability for suitably combining various types of optical elements is desired for a microscope.
Additionally, in the industrial use of a microscope or in a pathological examination, also a routine examination, which observes a target having a particular shape or characteristic by changing a microscopy according to predetermined procedures and repeats observation for a group of targets, is made. In such a case, the operability of switching of observation states including the above described switching of microscopies exerts a significant influence on operating efficiency.
Concerning the technique for improving the operability of a microscope, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H8-68946 discloses the technique for enabling the easy reproduction of an observation state that a user desires to set by saving the insertion/extraction states of optical members, and a shooting condition on a storage medium such as an IC card, and by enabling the states and the condition to be restored later, even when an infrequently used microscope is utilized, or when one microscope is shared by a plurality of persons.
In the meantime, if a microscope is used for the above described routine examination that repeats observation while changing microscopies, etc. by switching various types of units of the microscope according to predetermined procedures, the operability of switching of an observation state must be improved to increase operating efficiency.
The technique disclosed by the aforementioned Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H8-68946 is suitable for making observation by reproducing one state such as settings at the time of the observation. However, a user must perform procedures for once shifting the operating mode of a microscope system to a mode dedicated to switching, and for making a selection from among observation states recorded on an IC card based on a date, a comment, etc. when switching an observation state. Namely, this technique does not always offer high operability when an observation state is switched, and is problematic especially when a routine examination is made.